1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus for imaging a medical X-ray image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, X-ray sensors that convert X-rays into digital images and output the digital images are generally connected by cables. However, with recent advances in radio techniques, a wireless sensor has been debuted, and imaging is being performed more and more without the use of cables. As a conventional example of these techniques, for example, there is a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-210444.
In a digital X-ray imaging system, a control unit and an operation unit are required to perform imaging while switching a plurality of sensor units as appropriate. In the case of conventional cable-connected sensor units, a sensor unit that is connected with a cable and can perform communication is a currently usable sensor, and a sensor used for imaging is uniquely selected. Meanwhile, in the case where a plurality of wireless sensors have been registered into an imaging system and all of the sensors can perform communication, a sensor to be used cannot be uniquely selected. Thus, an operator has to determine a wireless sensor to be used.
However, it is difficult for an operator (e.g., an engineer, a doctor, etc.) to know the statuses of the respective wireless sensors and properly determine a wireless sensor to be used. Thus, for example, there have been cases in which, after a sensor has been selected and an examination has been started, the sensor selected first has to be switched with another sensor during the examination because the remaining battery level is not sufficient. In such a case, the examination has to be temporarily halted to exchange sensors, which lowers the efficiency of the examination. Additionally, this is disadvantageous also for the patient because the patient is kept waiting for sensors to be exchanged. Furthermore, when used on a mobile cart, the cart is moved with one sensor mounted thereon, and, thus, even when a plurality of sensors have been registered into a system, one sensor has to be selected so as to be repeatedly used. Moreover, in the case where imaging in the upright position and the supine position can be performed using two wireless sensors, sensors are selected on an empirical basis such that one sensor is assigned to do upright position imaging, and the other to do supine position imaging. Accordingly, the operation is not always efficient.